UNEP POPs Negotiations Background Mandate Status Report Relevance to Great Lakes

POPs Characteristics organic compounds natural or anthropogenic origin resist degradation in environment low water + high lipid solubility bioaccumulate in fatty tissues semi-volatile + multi-media regional and global distribution

POPs: International Initiatives Canada-USA Great Lakes Agreement Oslo-Paris Convention: Protection of the North-East Atlantic Ocean Helsinki Convention (Protect Baltic Sea) Int’l Conference to Protect the North Sea Barcelona Resolution: Protection of the Mediterranean Sea

POPs: International Initiatives Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy NAAEC/NACEC Resolution on Persistent Toxic Substances (1995, POPs & metals) UNEP Global Program of Action for Protection of Marine Environment (1995) UN ECE LRTAP Convention: – Protocols on POPs & Metals (1998) New UNEP POPs Convention (2001?)

POPs: The UNEP “12” Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin DDT, Heptachlor, Chlordane Mirex, Toxaphene Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) PCBs Chlorinated dioxins and furans

UNEP POPs: Mandate #1 UNEP GC Decision 18/32 (May/95): assessment of chemistry, toxicology, environmental fate & transport, socio- economics, sources, risks & benefits, and possible substitutes for the “12” IFCS to recommend any international actions to UNEP GC and WHA by 1997

UNEP POPs: Mandate #1 Conclusion: there is sufficient science to warrant immediate international action to protect health and environment.

UNEP POPs: Mandate #1 Recommendations: initiate immediate international action through: – “measures which will reduce and/or eliminate the emissions and discharges of the 12 … and, where appropriate, eliminate production and subsequently the remaining use of those POPs that are intentionally produced”.

UNEP POPs: Mandate #1 Recommendations: different treatment for pesticides, industrial chemicals and by-products criteria and process to identify new POPs develop global legally binding instrument involve stakeholders in negotiations

UNEP POPs: Mandate #2 UNEP GC Decision 19/13C (Feb/97): develop convention, preferably by 2000, and start in “early 1998” governments encouraged to take immediate action on recommendations UNEP directed to take actions to support countries’ efforts

UNEP POPs: Negotiations INC1: Montreal (June 29 - July 3, 1998) INC2: Nairobi (Jan , 1999) INC3: Geneva (Sept , 1999) INC4: Bonn (March , 2000) INC5: South Africa (November 2000) Diplomatic Conference: Sweden (2001) In effect by (?)

UNEP POPS: Key issues Controls on the initial 12 POPs Criteria and procedure for adding POPs Implementation aspects – technical assistance – technology transfer – financial assistance

UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3 The following summarizes the draft proposals for controls on the “12” which will be subjected to review by governments and discussed at INC4 (March 2000)

UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3 Goal for intentionally produced POPs: to eliminate production and use. Aldrin, Endrin, Toxaphene: at entry into force of the convention Chlordane, Dieldrin, Heptachlor, Mirex, HCB: production limited to some critical uses, subject to review at specified dates

UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3 Goal for DDT: elimination of production for all except public health uses (e.g. malaria) and review the need for remaining uses to see when production may be completely halted.

UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3 Goal for PCBs: elimination of production for all new uses, but permit current uses in equipment phase out “as soon as possible” specify a deadline (?)

UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3 By-products: dioxins, furans, HCB no agreement on statement of a goal “minimization, elimination” limited support for targetted reductions against baseline year emission levels agreement on reducing releases

UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3 By-products: Promote use of strategies & measures: – to reduce releases and/or eliminate sources by feasible & practical means – to prevent formation & release – to apply BAT for new & existing sources – national & sub/regional action plans

UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3 By-products: National & sub/regional action plans: – evaluate current & projected releases – develop & maintain source inventories and release estimates – evaluate adequacy of laws & policies – develop strategies to prevent & reduce release based on obligations & evaluations

UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3 By-products: National & sub/regional action plans: – education, training & awareness of prevention & reduction strategies – implementation schedule – monitoring progress of strategies and review success every [x] years

UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3 POPs wastes: strategies for identification of articles, products & wastes environmentally sound waste destruction concern for dioxin & furan generation and POPs release to environment technical & financial assistance for less developed countries

UNEP POPs Negotiations: INC3 New industrial chemicals & pesticides: these should be screened for – persistence – bioaccumulation – toxicity – potential for long range transport

Relevance to Great Lakes Great Lakes experience should be shared with NACEC, Arctic, UNEP, etc. – what worked & what did not – multistakeholder consultation approach Benefits of past & future actions Impacts of regional & global actions

POPs: UNEP Actions POPs web site: Support for country actions: – national POPs contact points – UNEP/IFCS sub/regional workshops: 138 countries in 8 workshops (Jul/97 - Jun/98) – PCB inventory & disposal projects – list of national, regional & global actions: the future POPs Global Action Plan?